Fibe-extingttishing inlet fob fuel-tanks



s. H. BROOKS. FIRE EXTINGUISHNG INLET FOR FUEL TANKS. APPLICATION FILED NOV.2, |917.

Patented June 24, l1919.

null UNITED sTATEs' PATENT oEEicE.

STEPHEN H. BROOKS, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FINE-EXTINGUISHING INLET FOR FUEL-TANKS.

Application led November 2, 1917., Serial No. 199,874.

To all ywlw/mJ t may concern: y Be it known that I, STEPHEN H. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishing Inlets for Fuel-Tanks, of which the followinis a speciication.

Iy invention relates to improvements in fire extinguishing inlets for fuel tanks and it more especially appertains to the special features pointed outl in the annexed claims.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a form of flush inlet that is adapted for use on large storage tanks cont-aining infiammable materials that will not be put out of service by explosions, etc., which tear off the roof of a tank and if not powerful enough to throw the roof to a distancel will cause it to drop back and break ofi' any inlet pipes, etc., that may project into the tank thus instantly putting an extinguishing system so equipped out of commission; to provide inlets which will distribute the extinguishing` solution in separate horizontal layers; an that can be readily installed on old as Well as new` tanks without great expense or difficulty.

With these and other ends in view I illustrate in the accompanying drawing such instancesof adaptation as will disclose the broad features without limiting myself to the use of only such specific detailsas are shown.

emplifyin Figure 1- is aI diagrammatic plan view exan arrangement'of feedlng con l. nections t iat may be used to supply4 the pipeA headed bolt.

outletswhose exits serve the inlets ofthe Fi QfV is a diagrammatic elevation instancing the approximate Vertical location of the inlets in the, tank wall.

Fig. 3 is van inside elevation of an inlet fsecured in the tankwall.

Fig. 9- is a detached elevation in section of apart of an independentassemblable unit..

In practically carrying out my invention Specication of Letters Patent. Patented June 24, 1919.

the inlets 3 are placed in openings made in the side walls of tanks 1. These openings approximately fit -the shoulders 19. Each of the inlets 3 is provided with a flange 8 and each lof the lianges has ears 20 to accommodate fastening bolts 14 or 18. portion 9 extends outwardly forming a cirlcularly shaped wall that has a beveled face 10 on the outside inner face against which a cap 11 abuts. These caps bhave ears 21 through which bolts 14 or 18 pass and control openings into which short feed pipes 4 are secured. The feed pipes 4 are supplied by pipes 5 and these in turn may be connected to main Apipe 6. It is of course immaterial as to what specific arrangement of feed pipes and connections are employed as these may be varied at will to suit whateverpractical exigencies may arise.

The inlets 3 as shown in Fig. 4 are held in place by bolts 14 provided with specially beveled heads that slope downward at 15 as shown in Fig. 8 so that there is no abrupt projection againstwhich any falling roof 2 might strike and shear off the heads. Nuts 16 threaded on bolts 14 or 18 abut ears 20 and serve t0 hold inlets 3 in place against tank walls 1. Nuts 17' threaded onto bolts 14 hold ears 21 and caps 11 in place. The slots .7 may be beveled-inwardly or out! wardly as desired according to the specific modification of the fire extinguishing mist that is desired.

Whenever Hush bolts are used-they are threaded into tank walls 1 and .have heads 22 which abut ears 21. Nuts 16 threaded on V'these bolts serve the same purpose as when .they are placed on bolts 14. The slots A7 through which the ire extinguishing solution is expelled are narrow andare placed horizontally-about lparallel with the level ing solution is ejected in a number of hori- The body i' of the contents of tanks 1. By reason of l this disposition of the slots the extinguish-l zontal layers as it leaves the outlets, thus assisting in more rapidly forming an extinguishing blanket over` the burning contents. To further assist inthe mosteficient distribution -of the'solution the forward wall.

ofthe inlets is curved'spherically asslllown in Figs.l 4 to-' inclusive. Thel ends ofthe slots are beveled so that the solution will beside. This insures that the material ejected from adjacent inlets will overlap and thus more effectivelyv envelop the fire area with the extinguishing agent. y

If desired I form hthe inlets as independ- "ent assemblalble units as shown in Fig. 9

limitation.

Wherein shoulders 23am formed on the bodies 9, 9" and 9IT adj-acent the .ears 20 to receive `bolts 22 to hold cover 12 attached to the bodyl independently of `fastening bolts 215 'by which the unit is held attached to the tank W-all.

The-fire hazard in storage tanks containing fuel oils and other highly inflammable materials is very large even When extinguishing systems are installed because these depend on projectingpipes, etc., or 'supported 'pipes within the tank 'to support the outlet' ends of such pipes. The reason for .this extra'hazard lies in the fact that When a explosion occurs in a tank it is seldom of suiiicient force to blow the tank roof to a distance so as notto fall on the tank as it descends. Onthe contrary the greater number of such explosions are only of suiciend; force to detach the-roof at its outer ed-ge'roni the dimension4 which will cause the re` exitin- ,gui-shing solution under pressure to be expelled in a nely divided state as a mist to form an oxygen excludingfbla'nket which will almost instantly extinguish the `tire.

' These terminal fittings having the delivery slots are placedV in openings ofthe tank ,Wall

. and are attached -to pressure pipes which are tive inoperation, economical. to manufac known as outlets ofthe pipe system, the {ittings 'being known as inlets with'resp'cct to thetank. g Y

The device is simple in construction, positure, 4and easily applied thuscom'bining very practical features Aare obvious.;

What Inclaim is, ,y 41. In fire extinguishingfsystems, la tank valuable features t'o produceay device whose for inlammablematerials, 'a series of inlets placed in the 'walljbfsuch tank above the contents thereof said inlets being free from abrupt projecting parts Within the tank, a delivery chamber formed within each of the v inlets, a spherical shaped delivery wall dividing the chamberfrom the inside of the tank, and parallel openings in such Wall.

2. In re extinguishing systems, a tank,

y an extinguishing inlet provided with a main body portion having fastening projections by which it is secured in an 'openingbf tlv Wall of the tank, a curved exit facingvthe interior of the tank, openings through the curved part, a removable cover placed on the inlet accessible from the outside of the tank, and means for holding the parts in assembled relation.

3. A tank for infiaimnabl'e materials, an extinguishing inlet attached thereto provided With a main body comprising a spheri-v cal wall, parallel exits leading through such Wall, a cover to close the open side of the body to form an inclosing chamber, an inlet to such chamber, and means for holding the parts in assembled relation While attached to A the tank.

t. A tank for inflammable materials hav- 4 ing openings through its Wall, restricted in'- lets placed in such openings so that the adjacent edges oi the tank .Wall 'are substantially iush with-the coperating edges of the inlets, and means connected therewith for holding the inlets attached to the tank.

5. A tank for inflammable materials, a series of inlets :in the tank Wall spaced apart and encircling said tank, means for supporting the same in openings of the tank'wall approximately Hush with said Wall, a presd lets being so spaced in yrelation to the pressu-re Within the pressure' pipe that the area of activity of adjacent inlets will overlap ,so as to cause Ian envelopmentof any fire witliin fthe tank by an extinguishing agent, un-

-der pressure in said pipe.

A6. In fire extinguishing systems, atank for infi-ammable materials having` a series of -105' its contents, removable flanged inlets 'in such openings, means for attaching the same to openings through its walls above the level of the -tank from 4the outside so as to leaveno abrupt protruding pants ofthe inlet extend- Y ing into the tank, restricted apertures leading into the tank formed in each inlet, and

sure -pipe leading tothe-inlets, the said -inmeans for connecting all the inlets to a presy sure system common to all the inlets.

In'testimony Whereof'Il aflix my signature.

. 'STEPHEN H. BROOKS. 

